Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Based on recipe from Cookie and Kate
Check out original here!

My daughter emailed me a link to this recipe for Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto and told me she thought I'd like it. She had made a few changes to - used regular rice, added some chopped Kale to up the nutrition factor and forgot the fried sage.  And it was still fabulous.  She used it as a vegetarian main dish I believe.

I went out and bought a butternut squash immediately, but life interfered again and again.  Since I have a friend coming for dinner tonight, I decided tonight is the night. Hopefully she likes squash.  But I'm going to serve it as a side dish to some grilled meat AND I think I'll stick with regular arborio rice which is the traditional choice for risotto.  I love brown rice, but not everyone does. So will make this again when it's just Glen and I so see what I think of that version.

Haven't decided yet if I'll do the fried sage, but probably as my friend is a bit of a foodie. She always interested in new cooking ideas and can spend months honing the recipe.

Below is the original recipe as listed on Cookie and Kate, with any small changes I am making noted. The image above is theirs. And I included a link to this recipe on their website under the photo so you could read their notes as well as explore the other fabulous offerings they have their.

Enjoy!

Never heard of Brown Arborio Rice or even Fried Sage until this recipe. Think I'll stick with
the regular Arboria for company tonight and try the Brown Arborio when it's just Glen and I. 

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Roasted Butternut Squash Risotto

Risotto Ingredients - 

3 tablespoons olive oil, divided
1 small yellow onion, chopped
2 cloves garlic, pressed or minced
4 cups (32 ounces) vegetable broth, divided (set 1 cup aside)
1 cup water
1 ½ cups brown arborio/short-grain brown rice (I used regular arborio rice this time)
1 small butternut squash (about 2 pounds), peeled and sliced into ½” cubes
1 cup freshly grated Parmesan cheese* (about 2 ½ ounces)
½ cup dry white wine, optional
3 tablespoons unsalted butter, diced
1 teaspoon salt, more to taste
Freshly ground black pepper, to taste
Pinch red pepper flakes, to taste
(Personal addition - a couple handfuls of chopped Kale to up the nutritional value)

Fried sage -

1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oil
16 to 20 fresh sage leaves, chopped (to yield about ¼ cup chopped fresh sage)

Instructions - 

Place your oven racks in the lower third and upper third positions (we’re going to bake the risotto on the middle rack and roast the squash on the upper rack at the same time), then preheat oven to 375 degrees Fahrenheit. Line a large, rimmed baking sheet with parchment paper for the butternut squash. Reserve 1 cup broth from your container and set it aside for when the risotto is out of the oven.

Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium-to-large Dutch oven over medium heat until shimmering. Add onion and a pinch of salt. Cook, stirring occasionally, until softened and turning translucent, about 5 minutes. Add the minced garlic and cook until the garlic is fragrant, 1 to 2 minutes. Add 3 cups broth and 1 cup water, cover, and bring to a boil over medium-high heat. Remove from heat and stir in the rice. Cover the pot and bake on the lower rack until rice is tender and cooked through, about 65 to 70 minutes. It will seem pretty dry when you take off the lid, but don’t worry!

Immediately after placing the pot of risotto in the oven, toss the cubed butternut with 2 tablespoons olive oil on your lined baking sheet. Sprinkle with salt and some freshly ground black pepper and arrange the butternut in a single layer on the pan. Roast on the upper rack until the butternut is fork tender and the edges are deeply caramelized, tossing halfway. This took 55 to 60 minutes for me, but start checking for doneness around 40 minutes.

While the risotto and butternut are in the oven, fry the sage: Heat 1 tablespoon olive oil in a medium skillet over medium heat. Once the oil is shimmering, add the sage and toss to coat. Let the sage get darker green and crispy (but not brown) before transferring it to a plate covered with a paper towel. Sprinkle the fried sage lightly with salt and set it aside.

Carefully remove the Dutch oven from the oven. Remove the lid and pour in the remaining cup of broth, the Parmesan, wine and butter (and the chopped kale if you want to add it too). Stir vigorously for 2 to 3 minutes, until the rice is thick and creamy. Stir in the salt, a generous amount of pepper and a pinch of red pepper flakes.

Stir in the roasted butternut. Taste and add more salt and/or pepper, as needed. Divide the risotto into bowls and top each with a sprinkle of fried sage.